Ebrewing options and newbie electrical questions

deuce40 · Aug 10, 2013

I will be using the 2352 pid. I didn't know there were different models lol. I feel confident that I can do this know. I need to get gfci protection out there so I was thinking of going with a spa panel. I don't feel confident opening up the breaker box.

With a four wires it should be straight forward wiring, correct?

stlbeer · Aug 11, 2013

Yes, wiring a spa panel should be straight forward wiring - for someone who's been trained and has experience with such a thing. It's very hard for some of us here to give advice on working with electricity and in breaker panels and not feel somewhat concerned for the person on the receiving end of the advice.

If you've never added a breaker/branch circuit to a breaker box, I would advise you to hire a certified/licensed/insured electrician to do this for you. Failures in this area can end up with burned down houses. Installing a spa panel involves opening up the breaker box.

mattd2 · Aug 12, 2013

stlbeer said:
Yes, wiring a spa panel should be straight forward wiring - for someone who's been trained and has experience with such a thing. It's very hard for some of us here to give advice on working with electricity and in breaker panels and not feel somewhat concerned for the person on the receiving end of the advice.

I've you've never added a breaker/branch circuit to a breaker box, I would advise you to hire a certified/licensed/insured electrician to do this for you. Failures in this area can end up with burned down houses. Installing a spa panel involves opening up the breaker box.

Fully agree with the sentiment of you post.
Got a question on the technical though:
Why would one need to open up the breaker box to install the spa panel in this situation (except to turn of the main isolation switch)? The wiring is already run to the point of use and terminated in a JB there. Should the install not involve mearly attaching the spa panel next to the JB, running conduit between the 2, connecting the correct wires through into the new spa panel, then out into a switched outlet?

deuce40 · Aug 12, 2013

That's exactly what I was thinking also. I've found many videos explaining how to make it work but I've decided against doing 220v and planning to run two elements 120v. Just for the sake of simplicity and the ability to easily adapt the system to my new home in a couple of months. I'm going to base the system off the diagram that was first shown above with the switch.

deuce40 · Aug 12, 2013

One of the elements will just be plugged in and on all the time and the other our controlled.

mattd2 · Aug 12, 2013

What is the reasoning behind having the contactor? If you are not controlling it in any way it is not adding any function. Although you may want to take another look and consider adding that control switch so you can switch on/off the contactors (one per element).
My thoughts on your sketch and what you have said so far:
You say you are looking for a system that will run two 120V elements, but what you have sketched up is for a 240V system as you are connecting the element between hot 1 & hot 2.
With electrical stuff that has the potential to kill/burn down your house you want to either be 100% sure you know what you are doing or get someone who does to do it. This is not stuff you want to have a go at because it needs to be right first time.